“What do you want from me? Why am I here?” I demand in a strangled gasp as I stand, watching the she-bitch in front of me carefully, not sure what to expect next. Hoping like hell that Daxell and Poppy are looking for me. Have they alerted my family?
“I have my reasons. None of which will be disclosed to your simple little mind until it’s too late.” She barks. “Grathgar, come here this instant!”
I watch as a hobgoblin enters the room. Normally they are cave dwellers, but he seems to be rather at home here in this mountainside dwelling. He stands about five foot tall, He’s bare-chested with skin the color of an unripe potato, mostly earthy greens and shades of brown. His eyes glow a yellow-green against the dark brown bags that line his eyes. His nose is long and broad and points downward to his scowling pinched brown lips and pointy chin. He has no hair to speak of, at least none that I can see, and his large pointy ears droop on either side of his skull. Everything about Grathgar seems to frown as he comes to stand before Nyx.
“Yes, mistress,” the hobgoblin croaks.
“Take our guest to change into the clothes that I have prepared for her.”
“Guest?” I challenge, cocking my head at her sarcasm.
“Make sure she has something to eat and drink. I’ll come to collect her within the hour.” Nyx continues without missing a beat. She glares at me before marching from the room, leaving me with her servant.
“Well, that’s just dandy.” I mutter before turning on Grathgar and demand, “Well?”
“This way, my lady. Please do not step out of line or I will be forced to deal with you in a most unpleasant fashion.”
“A fine mess you’ve landed yourself in, LJ. Why couldn’t you just stick to the plan? But no, you had to go traipsing away on your own and now you’ve become exactly what you swore you would never be. The damsel in distress.” I mutter as I follow the hobgoblin, not expecting a reaction or comment as I prepare to get what I wanted. A crash course in The Underworld, just not how I had planned it. Life’s a bitch at times.
24
So This is What Hell Feels Like
(Daxell)
Poppy traced us to Tarron’s place a little more than an hour ago. After he heard what had happened and that LJ was missing he went off on a tirade the likes of which I have never witnessed. The Horde King made himself known and all dark fae in the general vicinity have backed away. I get it. He’s pissed and I’m at the epicenter of his massive meltdown.
Clearing my throat, I dare to interrupt his berating of my ineptness, “Tarron, I’ve been patient as you have smashed things to bits while calling me every name in the book, but it’s well past time that we get to The Otherworld. I have to speak with Ashlinn and Alaric. They need to know what has happened and I need to see if I can’t find her with Cara’s help. You can unleash your anger on me after we get her back!”
Tarron jerks his head in my direction, “You are an idiot of epic proportions. You had one job. One! And that was to keep her safe while the two of you looked into the New Raven Order. Now, Lillie is missing and you have no more information than you had before you set off. Why should I allow you into Faerie?”
“Oh, let me see, Tarron. Because I fucked up and need to make this right?” I demand as my anger reaches a boiling point. “You don’t think I know how badly I messed this up? For the love of Lucifer, it’s LJ. She went missing on my watch, damn it! ” Suddenly my anger dissipates. Hanging my head, I mutter, “Because I’m in hell without her. I need to find her. I need her to be safe.”
“Dax,” he sighs, “Man, I’m sorry, but Ash and Alaric are not going to take this well. If you think for one moment that my actions were over the top, then you should prepare yourself, that, and I really hate to be the bearer of bad news.”
Looking up, I say, “Then let me tell them. It’s on me. I screwed up. Just know this, I will get her back and when I do … those responsible will have to deal with me and my demon.”
“Now you’re talking. All right, you have my permission to come and go from The Otherworld as you see fit. From this point forward, you are welcome there under my authority. Now, Lady Poppy, if you would do the honors, we need to get there as soon as possible.”
Poppy stands and looks to us both, a look of pure exasperation on her face, “Well, that took long enough. I can take two at a time, but that’s my limit. I’ll take Cara first and come back for you both. Come on, girl. We’re going back to Glenndale Loch. You’ll get to see Ban and Lachlan and then we’re going to go find Lillie.” The two wink out of sight.
Tarron comes around the bar top that separates us, “Dax, I’m sorry for going off, but you should know that Alaric is going to lose his shit.”
“I’ve already done that. It didn’t get me anywhere. While I was flying around Mammon’s super skyscraper in New Vegas, the only thing I saw
